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Tribunal Partially Overturns Ruling on Bunnings Privacy Breach

The Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) partially overturned the Australian Information Commissioner’s finding that Bunnings breached privacy law with its facial‑recognition trial. While the tribunal accepted Bunnings’ reasonable belief that the technology was necessary to combat retail crime, it cleared the company of a breach under APP 3.3 but upheld violations of transparency and notification requirements. Bunnings ceased the trial on 30 November 2021, and the OAIC is now reviewing the ART’s decision. The case underscores the tension between security initiatives and privacy obligations in retail.